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Hello! How’s it going? Today we’re talking about a super common running problem – running with blisters. It’s the worst if you don’t know how to deal.
First – I need to high five myself for finally showing up for a run! I did a Tempo Run in honor of Tempo Tuesday = A Holiday I started to play with years ago and only randomly celebrate lately.
Tempo Tuesday
– 1 mile warm up, 8 miles at a tempo-ish pace –> I want to work this to goal pace but right now it was around 8:30s, 1 mile cool down.
I get a lot of questions about feet and socks and shoes and blisters. Blisters are super common for runners and it sucks. It’s hard to keep running when you feel a burning, bleeding sensation on your heel or toe. The repeated rubbing and pounding makes it worse too
I don’t get too many blisters anymore, but before I toughened up my patas I tried a lot of different bandages and socks and Vaseline and home remedies.
So, I have some tips on how to deal with blisters:
How to Run with a Blister
> Leave it alone
- It’s best to leave the blister alone, as the unbroken skin over that fluid-filled bump provides a natural bacteria impediment that guards against infection. Most blisters pop on their own, so bursting them too soon can cause problems.
> If needed, pop carefully
- Only if you can’t walk or use one of your hands, you should carefully drain the blister. Wash your hands and clense blister, then use a sterilized needle to puncture the edge of the blister. Squeeze any liquid out of the edge and don’t peel the skin back.
> Watch out for infection
- Call your doctor if you suffer increased pain, warmth, a fever, or redness around the blister or if pus appears or red streaks extend from that area.
> Prevent blisters
- Wear your athletic shoes around your house to test them out before you go running or play a sport. If one part rubs, use a cushioned tape to discourage a blister from forming, or find athletic socks with extra padding.
Nexcare has a super thorough blister care and prevention page. For more information and help check it out.
Nexcare Waterrproof Bandages are a good option for minor wounds on your feet because they stick all the way around and are waterproof (read: sweat proof for hot runs with wet feet!). These are perfect for blisters or cuts on your heel area where it’s usually impossible to get a bandage to stick.
To further prove the awesomeness of their bandages Nexcare Nana put herself through one final task to see if it sticks…
Question: Do you ‘break in’ your running or exercise shoes before wearing them to workout?
I don’t with my #1 go to running shoe, but any other ones, yes.
Share your story with #nexcarenana and head over to nexcare.com/nana to learn more
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Nexcare Brand. All opinions are my own. These videos are a dramatization and no Nanas were hurt in the making of this blog post.
I have yet to get super bad blisters, but I definitely got little ones when I started running. I had no idea socks were such a big deal! I went out and finally bought running socks and my life is changed.
Also I discovered those band aids recently, I love them, and those Nexcare Nana commercials are hilarious!
I always always always get blisters on my big toes (on the sides, where the toes touch if I stand with my feet together/parallel) when I run. I have tried every kind of sock imaginable, and some are a little better than others, but it always happens. Usually after running for a while and getting a million blisters, I’ll get callouses there, which help, but I’ve gotten blisters under those callouses before, too! In fact, when I ran a half marathon (my only one so far), I got blood blisters instead of regular blisters. I will have to try body glide and/or some kind of tape or bandage. I don’t know if wrapping a bandage or tape around both of my big toes would be comfortable? Definitely a good idea for preventing back-of-the-heel blisters and such in new work flats, though!
At least a year ago, I decided to run with blisters. Well, I didn’t decide to get blisters and run, I simply decided that, if I had blisters, I wouldn’t let them affect my running. Yeah they hurt, but they’re not debilitating, and they’re not really an injury, so I kept going. You have no idea how many times I’ve run since then when I would have liked to have stopped because I was getting a blister but instead kept going.
On another note, Body Glide and Balega socks are AMAZING 🙂
Not only running, gym shoes but also work shoes. I typically have another pair of shoes in the office and switched to these after a couple of hours in my new work shoes. I do this for a couple of days/weeks until the “new” shoes feel ok.
Wow! 8 miles is a long time to keep up a tempo pace. You go!
I developed a blister on my big toe when I ran the Newport Marathon, which is weird because I never had that problem with training in the same shoes and type of sock. it was just some weird 26.2 mojo. So in my case, breaking in my shoes didn’t make a difference.
Thanks so much for sharing this! I’d never heard of using first aid tape to prevent blisters. This would’ve come in handy last Saturday. I got a nasty blister from my mud run. 🙁
Aw, if blisters were my only problem! Any advice for healing a stress fracture? I haven’t been able to run for almost 2 months now 🙁
That is the worst 🙁 Hang in there – the only thing that heals that is rest rest rest.
Your feet look great! I wish I could be less ashamed of mine and felt comfortable enough to go get a pedicure. Mine tend to have blue/purple nail varnish on when I know I’ll have to get them out. This way, it disguises any nails that are already that colour! Haha!
I used to get a lot of blisters when I first started running but haven’t had any at all for over a year now so I think running so much must harden the skin up on your feet.
Fresh aloe heals up blisters in a day! It’s so amazing that I have my own aloe plant at home and just cut off the tip of a leaf and rub it on my blisters.
Good to know! I think my mom has (had?) an aloe plant.
I did a tempo run today too and totally thought of you! And I thought, “RER hasn’t done a Tempo Tuesday post in a while…” You must have read my mind!
I get blisters on the tops of my toes and usually end up with a dead toenail. I’ve tried bigger shoes but I think better socks will be next. Thanks for the tips!
Ha! I love it. I’ve been meaning to get back to it and felt really good to bust one out 🙂 How did your run go?
Blisters suck! I use body glide when I’m toughening up my feet initially.
I just wrote about feet today in my post lol. I don’t want to jinx myself but I never get blisters from running or from my sneakers. I think the right socks for inside the sneakers are key. I usually wear new sneakers on an alternating basis with my old pair for about a week or so. After that, they are good to go.
Running with blisters is the worst! Taking off your shoes to find blood is never fun either. Good tips! I use feetures socks and love them. no blisters!
Seriously. One time I felt a little pinch during a run and then later took off my shoe to find blood all over my sock. I guess one of my toe nails poked another toe – random.
I don’t usually get blisters on my feet but after an 8 week running hiatus while waiting for my tendonitis to ease up I guess my tough calluses on my inside heels got soft so I got a couple the first few runs back. We take for granted our “natural” blister prevention.
Hhaa that video is too much. Nanas are the best!
I am curious about how you keep your toenails looking so good as well?? On some long distance runs and every 1/2 marathon I’ve ran I end up with a purple toenail. And later on said toenail falls off! I wear my purple toenails like a badge of honor but would like to have pretty summer toes too!!
I think my toe nails have ‘toughed up’ a lot – I used to lose one or two every time I ran a marathon. That would leave me with -6 at this point!
I recently and randomly got really bad blisters and it bled-yuck! I used a bandaid brand blister thing and it worked well.
I think you may have just saved my little toes! I’m training for my first marathon and get large blisters on both my pinky toes when I run longer than 10 miles. I was dreading my next long run, but now I’m looking forward to trying out that cushioned tape! Thanks!
Any advice for how to not ruin your toenails? I just had two pop out. I’m sorry if that’s gross, but I can’t be the only runner this has happened too.
I buy shoes 1/2 size bigger than what I normally wear to allow plenty of room for my toes. This helps to keep your toenails safe!
Yeah, I’d suggest a slightly bigger shoe (not so big you trip!) or another shoe with a bigger toe box.
My college roommate used to love popping my running blisters with a needle for me. I know that makes us sound very weird, but she’s gone on to med school and is into all that gross stuff. Does anyone else get blisters on the tips of their toes like me? Is anyone else embarrassed when they go to get pedicures? 😛
I used to get blisters on the tips of my toes until I switched to Injinji socks. I think the socks I was wearing, though the correct size, were too small for my feet, and the larger size was way too big.
That is gross but at the same time if someone was going to med school I’d assume they’d do a better job than I would!